Railway-crossing



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

T. MeGRATH & G. 0. PINLEY. RAILWAY oeessme.

No. 436,146. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

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T. MGGRATH'8v G. O. PINLEY. RAILWAY oaossme.

7 No. 436,146. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

(Mada WM U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MOGRATI-I AND GEORGE C. FINLEY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

RAILWAY-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,146, dated September 9, 1890.. I

Application filed May 2, 1890- Serial No. 350,410. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS MOGRATH and GEORGE O. FINLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossings; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to railway-crossings.

The object of the invention is to produce a railway-crossing having continuous rails in the direction of the movement of the train where the roads cross at or about right angles, and means whereby the said rails may be moved into operative position either by the passing train or by means of a suitable shifting mechanism.

A further object is to produce a device of the above description which shall be simple of construction, efficient and durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

With these objects in view the invention consists, broadly, in the combination, with a suitable base, of sectional rails mounted thereonadapted to slide in a direction transverse to the direction of a passing train, and mechanism connecting the said rails, whereby they may be thrown into operative position automatically by a passing train or by suitable hand shifting devices, as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention further consists in the improved construction and novel combination of parts of a railway-crossing, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, we have illustrated one form of railway-crossing embodying the essential features of our invention, although the same may be carried into effect in other ways without in the least departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of our improved railway-crossing, a part of the platform or casing being broken away to,

show the internal mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism for imparting a sliding motion to the sectional rails, a portion of the said mechanism being removed to show more clearly the relative position of the parts. Fig. 3 is also a plan view showing those parts omitted in Fig. 2 in addition to other parts forming the sectional railoperating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line w w of Fig. 2, showing the connection between the sectional rails and plates mounted approximately parallel thereto. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 1, showing more clearly the connection between the hand shifting mechanism and mech anism for operating the sectional rails; and Fig. 6 is a modification of a different form of sectional rail from that shown in the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a platform, upon which is mounted and secured in any suitable manner the right-angled corners 2 of the crossing, which are of the ordinary construction. Located upon the platform in such a manner as to align with the corners are the sectional rails 3,which are by preference formed with true wedge-like tapering ends adapted, when placed side by side, to form a continuous rail, as shown in Fig. 1; but, if desired, the sections may be con structed as shown in Fig. 6-that is, by cutting away a portion of the tread of the rails, as shown at 4, and mounting a section 5 between the said cut-away parts of less length than the recess between the shoulders 6 of the recessed portions. At a point near the end of each of the sections and upon the outside thereof is secured a block 7, Fig. 2, and upon the inside a recessed bearing or support 8, the two being held in place by means of a bolt 9, which extends through the section. Upon the block 7 is pivoted one end of an L-shaped plate 10, the opposite end of which is pivoted upon a standard 11, secured to the platform. Connecting with this plate is a rod 12, which is rigidly supported by a standard 13, and upon the rod ismounted a coiled spring 14,

adapted to exert a constant pressureupon the plate to cause it normally to retain the position shown, the object of which will be described farther on. Upon the supports 8 are secured other L-shaped plates 15, designed to occupy a position parallel to the sectional rails and to move in unison with the pivoted plates 10 when the device is operated by a passing train, which result is accomplished by connecting the rails, pivoted plates 10, and plates 15 together in the manner described. The sectional rails are kept in contact with each other by means of springs 16, carried bya bolt 17 ,which extends through a slot (not shown) in the outer rail and is rigidly secured to the inner rail, a nut 18 serving to increase ordiminish the tension of the spring, as may be desired.

The device as just described is adapted to be operated solely by a passing train; but it has been found desirable to so construct it as to admit of its being operated by hand. In order to accomplish this result, we journal a grooved pulley 19 upon the platform, upon the periphery of which are secured chains 20. At any point adjacent to the pulley are journaled a series of drums 21, around which pass the chains 20 to the plates 15, to which they are secured. To the lower end of the shaft 22 of the pulley 19 is secured an arm 23, connecting with which is a rod 24, extending to and connecting with an arm 25 on the shaft 26 of a shifting-arm 27, located at any convenient point adjacent to the crossing. As shown, the shifting-arm is in the center of the switch-plate 28, and when at this point exerts no influence on the mechanism, but allows the plates 15 to bear against the sectional rails, and thus prevent the accumulation of dirt, snow, ice, 350., between these parts, which would tend to prevent their perfect working. Suppose it is desired to move two plates 15, which for the purpose of clearness we will designate asA and B. In that event the shiftingarm is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, which movement transmits motion through the arms 23 25 and rod 24 to the pulley 19, which is partially revolved, and tightens those chains connecting with the plates A and B, thereby drawing them away from the rails and making a passage-way for the flange of the car-wheels. If desired, a pin may be placed in the openings in the shiftingarm and switch-plate to lock the device in any desired position.

When the device is operated by a passing train, the flanges of the engine 01' car wheels pass between the plates 10 and the sectionrails, and thus force the said plates 10 in to ward each other, which movement forces the plates 15 from the rails and opens a passageway for the car-wheels. After the train has passed the plates will automatically resume their normal position, which result is caused by the springs 14 on the rods 12. If desired, a semaphore may be attached to the shaft of the shifting-lever, so as to indicate which section of track is open.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-crossing, the combination, with a suitable base, of sliding sectional rails mounted thereon, corners mounted in alignment with the said rails, hearings or supports secured to the rails, L-shaped plates carried by the bearings, and mechanism connecting with the said plates for causing them to move out of contact with the rails.

2. In a railway-crossing, the combination, with a suitable base, of movable sectional rails mounted thereon, hearings or supports carried by the said rails, plates carried by the said supports and adapted normally to bear against the said rails, and pivoted plates connecting with said rails and adapted when actuated to operate both the rails and the plates located adjacent thereto.

3. In a railway-crossing, the combination of a series of sectional rails, plates located adjacent thereto, and spring-actuated pivoted plates also connecting with the rails and adapted to operate the plates and rails.

4. In a railway-crossing, the combination, with the base thereof, of sectional rails mounted thereon, plates located adjacent to the said rails, a hand shifting device, and mechanism connecting the latter with the said rails, whereby when the hand-shifting device is operated the plates will be moved from the rails and a passage-way opened for the carwheel.

5. In a railway-crossing, the combination, with the base thereof, of sectional rails mount.- ed thereon, plates located adjacent to the said rails and connecting therewith, a pulley, a series of drums, chains connecting with the pulley and passing around the drums and connecting with the plates, and a hand shifting device for operating the pulley and chains to cause the plates to be moved from the rails.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we hereby afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS MoGRATI-I. GEORGE C. FINLEY. Witnesses:

WM. H. WILLIAMS, JOSEPH GARNER. 

